From Russia with Love

007__#2__One of the best Bond films. It has an interesting compact plot by Bond standards, cool villains (the girl with the bayonet in her shoe is great, Martin Shaw as a straightforward killer), and the few action scenes are pretty good and brisk (well shot train fight). A big improvement compared to Dr. No. (02/10/2005)

The best Bond movie with Sean Connery. Or rather... The best Bond movie ever. Significantly different that the rest and more of a classic cloak-and-dagger movie. However it’s the most serious one and thrilling at the same time, a bit tongue in cheek with a lot of action and also quite realistic in places. For instance the fight in the train compartment is the type of a physical action which you don’t usually find in a standard Bond movie (well at least not until Craig’s arrival). (17/11/2004)

More money, more steel. After the grand success of Dr. No, the budget for the next installment was doubled, and thus could have been spent on helicopters, speed boats, multifunctional briefcases, and penicillin injections for James Bond, who this time left-handedly fucks not only his young paramours, but also a Russian agent and two rambunctious gypsies, all of which occurs with a casual flair that the makers of Fast Money could only dream of. Two-thirds of the way through, Agent 007's second adventure manages to keep you constantly on tenterhooks with its unpredictable script and a sense of omnipresent eyes and ears, thanks largely to a clever and down-to-earth screenplay that, despite the extensive exposition, doesn't drag its feet into overblown ambitions of world domination, but instead narrows its premises the more the film progresses. Except, of course, for the final helicopter and boat shenanigans, which were an afterthought to give the film an action-packed climax. Unfortunately, they also make the whole impression of the finale feel fragmented in both pace and mood, and the whole film comes out from under the Bridge of Sighs somewhat empty. The best part is once again a mentally underdeveloped Bond girl who trades a prestigious job as a spy for the chance to be the next trophy of a dude who grabs girls by the arm as a matter of course. (16/06/2019)

For a film that takes nearly an hour to really get going, and that the villains don't come up with a megalomaniacal plan to destroy half the world, it's still interesting throughout. This fact is aided by Young's brisk direction and the cleverly simple script that doesn't offer much in the way of action sequences, but I give respectful kudos for those few bits; particularly Bond's fight with Grant on the train is something that, given its physicality, is something that Bourne needed to rediscover 40 years later. (14/01/2012)

It's unbelievable how this film from 1963, which was already completely different in terms of filmmaking, managed to inspire and captivate me. Bond's lines and grimaces haven't aged even after 50 years. Some effects are naturally clunky, but the can be tolerated thanks to the pace and strong script. Excellent villains, a fantastic fight on a train, and above all, an incredible pace. Compared to the first installment, it's a huge leap forward. I expected to watch it more out of obligation, but I devoured it with unexpected enthusiasm. Even back then, they were able to beautifully utilize the settings – Istanbul and Venice – with a sense for excellent cinematography. (23/12/2013)